KOLKATA: The Mandir Bazar police on Saturday arrested two booth presidents of All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) in connection with the murder of a local BJP leader Shaktipada Sardar. The booth presidents have been sent to eight-day police custody by Diamond Harbour subdivisional court.

The arrest comes after Sardar was reportedly attacked by miscreants on Friday night with a sharp weapon and left bleeding on the road. He was later spotted by locals who rushed him to a hospital in Diamond Harbour. However, he died on his way.

Sardar was BJP's Mandal Committee Secretary. BJP has repeatedly highlighted that its party workers are under threat in West Bengal and has even taken on CM Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress for allegedly resorting to violence.

In recent by-polls in the state, there were reports of widespread violence with both BJP and Trinamool playing victim. While PM Narendra Modi at a recent rally in the state asked people to rise above violence and divisive politics, Mamata too has repeatedly fired counter attacks - accusing BJP of trying to spread anarchy in West Bengal.